Most passenger vehicles and automobiles, such as cars, trucks, and vans include a rear-view mirror which is designed to allow the driver to see rearward in the mirror through the back window. The rear-view mirror may be affixed to or proximate the windshield, typically at or near the upper central portion of the windshield, although other locations may be possible.
Rear-view mirrors may include various shapes, sizes and/or dimensions. Particularly, some rear-view mirrors may include auxiliary components, such as garage door buttons, panic buttons, dimming buttons, light buttons or switches, etc. The inclusion of such auxiliary components may alter the overall shape and size of the mirror or the mirror housing/frame.
While some drivers may choose to decorate the mirror by hanging objects (e.g., lanyards, necklaces, tassels, etc.) from the stem of mirror mount, such objects may significantly obstruct the driver's vision through certain portions of the windshield and/or at times can swing and distract the driver while operating the vehicle. There exists a need for a decorative attachment to the frame or housing of the mirror which can display custom or selected indicia thereon, such as, but in no way limited to text, logos, graphics, images, artwork, etc. The proposed decorative attachment may be in the form of a flexible, resilient band which can be partially stretched and engagably wrapped around the peripheral surface of the mirror housing or frame.
Furthermore, drivers who use mobile communication devices (e.g., cellular telephones), for example, for composing, sending or reading text messages, email, accessing one or more social networking sites, and other features, while simultaneously operating a vehicle, tend to cause severe and violent traffic accidents as a result of being distracted. Oftentimes, a simple message or reminder displayed to the driver can significantly reduce the likelihood that the driver will text, operate a cellular telephone or engage in activities that can significantly distract the driver while operating the vehicle. Moreover, the message may be displayed proximate, adjacent or in an attached manner to a mirror (such as, but not limited to, a rear-view mirror), such that when the driver looks at or glances toward the mirror, he or she is reminded of the message displayed. In this manner, the indicia or text on the decorative attachment device may include “Don't Text and Drive,” “Texting Can Wait,” “Put the Phone Down,” etc. Of course, other reminders, text, etc. may be used such as “Don't Drink and Drive,” as just another example.